(1) Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a flan-type puddings.
(2) Description of the Prior Art
Dairy products, particularly milk, have played an important role in human nutrition for centuries. These products have also been the major source of calcium in people of Caucasian background. Of recent date the consumption of dairy products has decreased in persons of middle and elderly age groups which also represents the fastest growing segment of population in developed countries.
Several socioeconomic reasons are responsible for this reduction. Serious health problems exist with this group which is more susceptible to both osteoporosis and hypertension which can result from a deficiency of calcium. Consequently, there exists a critical need for a convenient appealing novel diary food which fits the life style of this rapid growing segment of population.
Flan or custard type dairy desserts (milk pudding) have traditionally been an attractive food for this target population. Old fashion type flan is a moldable fresh dairy product utilizing eggs as a gelling agent. However, modern food technology has developed several ingredients, e.g. carrageenan, gelatin, gums and other stabilizing agents which can replace eggs (hence cholesterol free) for its gelling property. Several examples of such usage are available, but all use milk, sugar, carrageenan (or other stabilizing agent) and sometimes small amounts of pregelatinized or modified starch because ungelatinized starch is known to retard the formation of the characteristic smooth egg flan-like gel obtained by these gelling agents. One such typical composition and process for making milk puddings would be found in U.S. Pat. No. 2,808,337.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,250,621 describes frozen glues using an extract of Euchema seaweed as gelling agent, and U.S. Pat. No. 3,443,968 discloses flan-type milk pudding with minimal syneresis, by adding to heated milk carrageenan and phosphates in amounts sufficient to decrease the influence of calcium content of the milk on the carrageenan.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,367,783 teaches that a variety of gel formulations can be improved by using a mixture of locust bean gum and calcium carrageenan for gel formulation.
None of the prior art teaches the use of native or untreated cereal flour for use in egg flan-like food processing or composition of flan-type puddings primarily because it was believed that certain properties in cereal flour would interfere with the gelling mechanism of carrageenan and other stabilizers.